Thanh Duong Communal House
Introduction
Type and Ranking: It is an architectural and artistic relic. It was recognized and ranked as a National-level Architectural and Artistic Relic by Decision No. 680/QD-BT dated 19/04/1990 of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Tourism.
2. Worshipped Figure and Historical Value
Worshipped Figure: The communal house worships the village tutelary god, the national hero Emperor Le Hoan (Le Dai Hanh). He made great contributions by replacing the Dinh Dynasty and founding the Early Le Dynasty, leading the army and people to defeat the Song army in the North and suppress the Champa army in the South, firmly protecting the borders and promoting the construction of the country.
Historical events: Local legend recounts that, on his way to campaign against Champa, King Le Hoan stopped at the Thuong Temple area near the Day River in Thanh Duong. After the king passed away, our country established 17 temples, including Thanh Duong Communal House.
3. Architectural and Artistic Characteristics
Location and Layout: The communal house is located in the southwest of the village, facing southwest; in front are the communal house pond and the Day River dike, and nearby is a thousand-year-old banyan tree. The communal house has a Dinh-shaped architectural structure, including the Dai Bai hall and the Hau Cung rear shrine.
Dai Bai Hall Architecture: It consists of three main bays and two side bays, retaining four curved upturned corners, with an ancient ri-tile roof. The roof ridge is decorated with two kìm creatures and a wine gourd; the roof edge is decorated with nghê and xô creatures. The main column system is very large (circumference 1.70 m), with a stacked-beam roof truss. Although it was originally built in the Le period, based on the architecture and the inscription on the first beam, it can be confirmed that the communal house underwent major restoration in the Nguyen period (Giap Tuat year 1814 or 1874).
Sculptural art: The Dai Bai hall is lavishly decorated with cốn panels, beam ends, ceremonial screens, horizontal plaques, and couplets. Notable are the cốn panel carved with the theme "Fish and Dragon Playing in Water" (dragons in clouds, carp, crab, lotus) and the cốn panel "Four Sacred Creatures Passing the Bowl" (dragon, qilin, turtle, phoenix, carp, nghê, crocodile). The lacquered and gilded ceremonial screen is carved with "Two Dragons Adoring the Moon," "Four Sacred Creatures," and "Four Seasons." The Hau Cung rear shrine preserves two dragon-carved cốn panels bearing the most pronounced Le-period sculptural style.
4. System of Relics and Antiquities
Paper documents: The communal house preserves a Han-character deity genealogy and 20 royal edicts from the Le Trung Hung period to the Nguyen period (the earliest are edicts from the 2nd year of Hoang Dinh - 1601 and the 2nd year of Vinh To - 1620).
Wooden objects: In particular, there is a set of Le-period dragon throne and spirit tablet bearing the inscription "Liet Hoan linh ung Thuong dang toi linh Dai quoc Vuong than vi". In addition, there are an edict box, 1 eight-bearing palanquin, 1 incense table, 12 long swords of the eight treasures, 2 horizontal plaques, and 4 pairs of couplets.
Stone, ceramic, and bronze objects: Including 2 stone incense burners, 2 rear steles, 4 ceramic incense burners, 2 flower vases, and 2 bronze cranes.
5. Protection work and relic zoning
According to the minutes dated 29/01/1991, the relic was divided into 2 protection zones:
Protection zone (Zone I - Inviolable): This is the area containing the relics on plot 195B and the two communal house ponds (plots 230 and 88). Boundaries: East adjacent to the communal house pond (plot 230), West adjacent to the communal house pond (plot 88), South adjacent to the pond (plots 88, 230), North adjacent to plot 195B. Construction, demolition, and violations are strictly prohibited in this area.
Construction adjustment zone (Zone II): Including the path behind the well and pond No. 230. Boundaries: East, West, and South adjacent to cultivated fields; North adjacent to plots 147, 195A, and 146. All construction activities here must be permitted by the Provincial People's Committee and have the opinion of the Department/Ministry of Culture.
